Get Ready for winter: Must Have Games at home

With rain, snow and cold weather luring round the corner, how about getting ready for the times you cannot go out. Kids cannot get enough time outdoors, so how do we keep kids busy? Here are some games that you can add to your home toy/game collection. I would call them the must haves for a fun family time at home. I have all of them, and we enjoy playing for sure. Keep those digital devices away and enjoy your family time together.

I have tried some on a 4 year old, and she can tag along and play, which means it works for all kids 4 and above. Adults are no exclusion.

* Jenga 

* Pictionary Game

* Electronics kit

* Uno

* Cards

* Ludo or Snakes and Ladders

 * 15 Puzzle Game

Build your vocabulary with Scrabble

Practice site words with Scrabble

Sorting and Ordering cards by numbers, colors, type

Ludo helps with counting and colors

Reading : Make it a habit, give them the blessing

“Your mind is your library of what you read.” 

― Lailah Gifty Akita

I did write a post sometime back on how reading helps all kids to learn and grow. If the kid is small and does not know how to read, that is not an excuse, all parents, siblings or anyone at home can read to them. I have a lot of parents ask me how to make it a habit, or how did I do it? Creating a habit just takes couple of dedicated days to make anything happen. If you start reading for a week at the same time, kids will ask for it on the 8th day, so there you go, a good habit in place and that is for a lifetime. I am not just preaching but have tried that on our girls.

We used to read to Nishka who is 6 now, and she can read to herself now. She also reads to the younger one. They read together, or we read together as family. Nishka has transitioned from toddler books, picture books to chapters and more. She knows fiction, non-fiction and is eager to pick up books in the library and knows what her genre of  likes/dislikes are. She also writes analysis about some books on what she understood, and that helps with crititcal thinking practice. Now don't get me wrong, but just one liners for the start, middle and end of the book helps with thinking on what was read, and gives good writing practice. I would say that is a good set of achievement for a 6 year old. 

Navya on the other hand is almost 4, and does not know how to read by herself yet. We are in the process of making her and independent reader, and that takes time and dedication. All we do is ask her to get the books she wants and we read for her. Most of her books are picture books and she loves looking at them. She also tries to read to us, like the way we do, and explains them, or I should say tires to explain. This is not exceptional for any kid, but is a habit in place and will help her with reading though out her life

Do check these to see how they read:

Navya tries to read

Nishka does a quick read on bats

Mom's delima behind a kids lunch box

Who all worries about what to pack for lunch for the next day? I do and I am sure you all do too. I try to avoid school lunch, because I know what I make for them is way better than what they get at school, and is all worth the time I spent on it.

Here are some tips before I share the lunch box pictures. This has worked well for me, and hope it does for you too.

• Do not repeat!  You know how easy it is for kids to get bored and skip lunch. You can plan ahead for a weeks meal to get started with, and then stick to a 2 week plan. 
• Read the school lunch menu and try to get something that works best for you and you kids along the same lines. This will help with their question of "Why don't I get the school lunch like my friends"
• It is absolutely "OK" to give them a small portion of chips(no full bags, not event the smallest bag) or half a cookie or chocolate milk as a treat, they will relish it.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Avocado Sauce, German Chocolate Cake and Watermelon

Chinese Style egg noodles with carrots and peas, Fried Egg, Pineapples and Strawberries

Pre Baked Chicken Nuggets, Sesame Bun with Cheese, Cucumbers and Strawberries 

Roasted Corn with baked chicken, cucumber(dusted with chaat masala),  Lychee and Probiotic Drink

Whole Wheat Sandwich with Cream Cheese, Avocado and Egg, Oranges and Cucumber

Inspire and Aspire

All of us are different! but all moms can and do relate to things from other moms. I do that too. I feel what every other mom could be going through, and try to fill in for "Walking in someones shoe". Every mom goes through the feeling of and weighing for your kids happiness along with yours. It is hard, but we all have been thought it and will pass with flying colors all the time. Just trust yourself, and do not judge yourself, and everything will be fine.

I had been wanting to write about a couple of thank you notes that I have been getting since I started this blog. Some notes are vocal while others are written directly to me, but I would like to thank everyone who has helped me be here, and like all of you, I do Aspire to a lot of things around me done by all of you.

Since you all are different but special in many ways, keep inspiring!

Here are some:

Thanks for the long list of baby items

Just wanted to let you know I also have two kids, 6 and 5 and work full time. Life is too busy, but i get motivated looking at your posts.

Inspired by you, I got finally time to create my blog, please let me know how it is.

My food habit has changed by eating along with you, and I am happy about it.

Natural Forests - Explore even more

Its almost end of summer, and are you running out of ideas to keep kids busy? All summer long, did you make a trip to the National Parks, if not, its the right time. End your summer the right way, and give your kids a happy note to make a jump start to a great school year.

Half Dome at Yosemite national park

National Park Services is celebrating its 100th anniversary on August 25, 2016. We all can celebrate it together by visiting any of the national parks from August 25 - August 28th for FREE, yes it is absolutely free at the entrance.

Do you have a 4th grader? It is even better in that case. Every 4th grader get a free entrance pass to all the national parks for a year, and every kid in a park has made it possible. Enjoy while they go to 4th grade.

As a family we love to make trips to National Parks. It is just something that neither can be experienced at home watching it as a show, nor can it be experienced while listening to someones experience. You have to visit it to experience it! We have a long list of national parks to visit, but as a family we made our first trip when Nishka was 3 and Navya just 9 months . Nothing is hard (thats the most heard excuses of all), its just the will to explore. Here are some pictures from the trips we have made. Hope you have a fun trip to any National Parks and do share how it was.

Tunnel View at Yosemite national park

Mirror Lake at Yosemite national park

Bridal Veil at Yosemite national park

Watching the Merced River flow at Yosemite national park

Wonder how tall the trees are at Yosemite national park

There are infinite possibilities, all you have to do is is plan and make it happenWatching the Merced River flow at Yosemite national park

Crafty Kids: Home Depot Kids Workshop

Kids and Crafts go hand in hand. It gives them ways to explore things beyond reality. It lets their imagination go far and beyond what we think they could, and ofcourse it is a lot of fun for both parents and kids. To top that off, it is a time to bond with your kid and have a good family time.

With that in mind, I do let my daughters do a lot of craft at home and of course they do plenty in schools too. However one of my fav places to go to is Home Depot Kids Workshops. They have special themed kids workshops, first Saturday of the month, and we always look forward to it. I sign up as soon as we are done with one. All you do is sign-up and show up at home depot at 9:00 am. They will take care of the rest. At the end you get to take home the craft you built, a certificate and a badge(a little token to show-off)

 I have had great experiences there as they try to accommodate all the kids that show up. The workshops are theme based, and they will have something for all the kids to work on even if they run out of the original themed craft materials. One shutout to Home Depot for doing it, and making all the kids excited to learn and explore.

PS: We made out Fathers Day Trophy here :)

Fun Summer Reading

Summer is a time when kids are off School for a longer duration, and finding the right thing to do is always a challenge to all parents. I tired to do some research and see what is available out there for reading as I already want kids to read and be read and how much it helps them to learn and grow. I signed all 4 kids at home, that includes a pre-schooler, 1st grader and 6th grader to READ FOR THE WIN. For kids who like to read, its fun to read and win something for reading, but I liked the way this program caters to pre-schoolers too. All you have to do is fun actives with your Pre-schooler like reading, dancing, walking, drawing and earn points for doing so. It just tells us how small things make the biggest difference in life.

My kids are already having fun reading, have you signed up yet for your kids @READ FOR THE WIN.

Buying Guide to a New Mommy

Being is new mom is exciting, but at the same time it can be overwhelming and exhausting if things just don't go as planned. You are meeting your baby for the first time, and nothing goes as planned. However getting ready early always helps and is of course better than not being prepared at all. I did put down the list of baby items , but there are some essentials for moms too,  and I have listed them below. In any case ENJOY all you can, as everyday pass by and they grow up too fast.

Nishka @5days

1. breastpump - Get your free one from the insurance company
2. Wirefree Nursing Bra - feel free to do your own research on what kind you like, but definitely all cotton and wirefree is the way to go.
3. Lanisoh nipple cream - This is a must for all nursing moms.
4. Cranberry Juice - Stock up on these, and this will help with probable UTI.
5. Hydration bottle - Fill with water all day/night
6. Pain management medicine - you will get some when you leave the doctors office after baby birth, but have some in handy for all other pains that may come along
7. Loose fit cotton pyjamas

Nice to haves

1. Nursing pads - These come as washable and none washable ones, pick per you convenience. It also depends on how much 
2. Rocking Chair - This is really handy for mommy to use it when nursing, taking a relaxing nap or can also be used by daddy to rock baby to sleep :)
   
   

   

   Navya @2days
   
   
   

3 days of chilled summer - DIY popsicles

All kids LOVE popsicles anytime of year, but my mantra is 1 popsicle a day the entire Summer. 

Happy kids = Happy Mom. 

Now, let me come back to a thought, and how scared every mom is thinking about what goes in the food her kid eats, The same applies to store bought popscicles. I do not like what goes in it, colors, natural favor(not sure what it is), preservatives and on goes the list. Here is an easy way to get around that.

Get some mold from any store. Mine is from a baby shower favor, and I am making tremendous use of it. Blend the ingredients, the pictures below will have the ingredients. and you will not believe how flavorful they are with so little in them. Try with any fruits you have at home, and they work equally well.

Do comment below if you have tried it, and love any specific flavor that you have come up with.

Ingredients: Mango pulp extracted at home

Ingredients: Cook Khuwa and milk with brown sugar,
Add rasins and shredded coconut

Ingredients: Banana, Pineapple

ENJOY!!!!!

DYI bracelets for kids

I am always in the lookout for something fun for my daughters, and here is something that can be enjoyed while they make, and gift it to a special friend. For kids, they have lots of best friends meaning best one at school, at home, in the community, and the list goes on. These make cute gifts that can be given on birthdays, graduation, play date, or any occasion to your kids friends.

All you need is:

- Elastic thread, I bought mine at walmart, but all craft and dollar stores have them too.

- Lots of beads, could be wooden, plastic or anything. Mine is from Melissa-Doug-Wooden-Stringing-Bead-Kit

Busy working on the bracelet

A little gift for a special fren

DIY kit for Mothers Day or माता तीर्थ औशी

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." - Osho

Mothers day for everyone around the world  and Mothers day for Nepalese (आमाको मुख हेर्ने दिन  or माता तीर्थ औशी) was something I was looking forward to for a while. They both fell on the same weekend, and my mom's arrival from Nepal was also scheduled for the same time, which means I wanted it to be a special celebration.

Mothers are so special that anything you give is still less than what all moms have given us. Even with that at the back of my head for weeks and days, something came to my mind.  I had a bunch of things that I wanted to give her, so I planned to create a DIY basket with all the stuffs I wanted to put in. When you cannot decide on one thing to gift, that's the best way to go.

My hunt for a handmade bamboo basket did not go well, so I settled with a big green plastic bowl. I bought some fruits as that is what we get for moms in traditional Nepali way, and then some body lotion, body spray, energy bars, 2 coffee mugs(one for ama and one for bua) with customized texts, a photo frame and a jewelry set.

A big basket and some cello sheet with a fancy ribbon is all I needed next. I
just felt happier to put together all the stuff I wanted to give and make it a meaningful one. Try making your own for any occasion and see how happy your loved ones are.

Excited to go see Ama after the prep

Enjoying Tea in customized text cups

Meaningful mothers day for me

 I had a wonderful and blessed day, and hope you too did. Ending it with this quote
“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.”